JOB LOVE: PLAN YOUR NEXT MOVE

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ARE you dissatisfied with your job? Maybe you need to change direction, or find ways of improving your current job and freeing hidden potential.

John Lees' 3rd revised edition of his best-seller How To Get A Job You'll Love (McGraw-Hill, #12.99) is out now. Here John shares a few key tips with YVONNE SWANN

WHAT CAN I CHANGE?

If you are not happy with your job, the first step is to say: what can I do about it? This means working out what you do, and how much of it you can change.

- You can change it by negotiation - offering to do new things, taking on new projects, and by learning new skills.

- People often get fed up with what they are doing and take whatever job comes along next. They jump from the frying pan into the fire without really understanding what they are looking for.

- So create a tick-list of the things you are looking for - breaking it down to simple things like the skills you are going to use, the kind of people you want to work with and the job's outcome - will it help society, say. Work out what you want to get out of it.

- When one of my clients had a new boss, he bought a new suit, went in to see him and described the parts of his job that he wanted to develop. Take advantage of changes in the workplace.

- Understand who the key decision-makers are. Another client of mine made a key presentation when one of the senior managers was present, and that little seven-minute experience had a huge impact in terms of her promotion. It's not your year-round work that will bring promotion, it's the key moments when you make an impact and get noticed.

RETRAINING

- A lot of people think they have to retrain, or take a drop in salary. But many make a career transition without having to do either.

- The key is to find real people who are doing the kind of work that you'd like to do and talk to them. Fields like conservation or antiques are full of enthusiasts, so it is very easy to find people who are happy to give you lots of information.

- One way of moving on without retraining is by taking on a related role. For example, by moving from a job as an accountant in a chemical company to being an accountant in the film industry.

THE JOB INTERVIEW

- Organise your message. Think up a single sentence that truly captures who you are and the kind of work you really like. It sounds a bit gimmicky, but it will keep you focused.

- Never say: "I hate my job." Interviewers will jump on it. Keep it positive: "I've learnt a lot - now it's time to go on to something more exciting."

HIDDEN AMBITIONS

- Finding a job you love is often about looking at the things you've always wanted to do, but haven't had the courage to try. Many new careers start outside the workplace - as a hobby.